The Appointment In Mugenjou
by Amethyst Hunter
Summary: Oneshot. Kazuki learns something interesting from a not-so-impromptu consultation with Dr. Jackal. Akabane x Kazuki.


Title: The Appointment In Mugenjou

Author: Amethyst Hunter

Fandom: Get Backers, Akabane/Kazuki

Rating: R (m/m pairings, sexual content, S&M/bondage themes)

Warnings/Spoilers: See above.

Word count: 4035

Notes: Based on a prompt for the springkink LJ community. Prompt: "Erotic torture – Akabane whispered in his ears, immobilizing him with his words and touch."

Disclaimer: I don't own GB. Maybe in some alternate universe I'm that lucky, but not in this one.

Summary: Kazuki learns something interesting from a not-so-impromptu consultation with Doctor Jackal.

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"What's wrong, threadmaster? I don't bite…very hard."

The silken chuckle only made Kazuki's skin crawl – and not entirely from revulsion. Again he cursed himself for having fallen into such a simple, subtle trap. Next time – assuming he lived through this, of course – next time he'd make damn certain the information he was relaying was to a confirmed source.

Akabane lightly tugged on the string that held his prisoner. "I suppose I can't entirely blame you for your reticence. It is wise, after all, to be wary of predators in the wild."

He smiled at his own little joke – Kazuki had been caught in the bowels of Mugenjou, transferring information about a retrieval job to what he'd thought was a legitimate go-between. Instead, he'd run into Dr. Jackal, who, after cheerfully explaining to Kazuki that the original person had 'bowed out' (his way of saying that the other party had met an untimely end, no doubt), promptly pounced when Kazuki had made the mistake of taking his defensive maneuver just a little too _off_ensively.

Kazuki's eye twitched. The error was his, to be sure, and not one made lightly. But his pride soured at the fact that the bastard had not only _repelled_ the string attack, but used his own weapon to neutralize Kazuki. Faster than he'd been able to track the loops, the string had been lashed around his wrists and ankles, and he was now suspended like some sort of human ornament from the warehouse's ceiling beam. _Juubei, if only you could see me now,_ Kazuki thought grimly.

"What do you want?" he demanded through clenched teeth. Might as well get this over with…

Dr. Jackal tipped his hat. "Ah, the second eternal question, hmm?"

"What?"

"Everyone is always asking 'why.' But it is a question only others can answer, and not always successfully. I daresay what a person wants is the more frequently-pondered mystery. For most, it is at least an easily answerable one."

Kazuki held back a groan. He should know by now that Akabane was given to such cryptic oddities. "I meant, what do you want with me?"

The good doctor smiled. "Merely to pass along some helpful advice. You see, although I have accomplished my original objective of keeping this appointment in Mugenjou, I feel compelled to offer my trained expertise."

"Oh?"

A purple eye sparkled beneath the slit in the brim of the wide black hat. "I'm afraid I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Fuyuki Shido-san the other day."

Kazuki colored.

Akabane smiled, a hint of phony apologetic regret in the curves of his mouth. "Yes, you may add eavesdropping to my lengthy list of sins, threadmaster. Call it physician's interest. Old habits do die hard, I fear."

"You bastard, my personal life is none of your business." As soon as the words were out Kazuki regretted them, not because he wasn't normally given to rudeness but because angering Dr. Jackal was a surefire way to end up dead. He tensed, waiting for a barrage of scalpels –

- but it never came. Apparently unaffected by the insult, Akabane adjusted his hat and moved closer, his smile still calm. "Kakei-san prefers more traditional methods of resolving his affliction, hmm?"

Not liking where this was going, Kazuki shuddered. He'd gone to Shido for advice, thinking that a beastmaster of all people would know best how to resolve sexual roadblocks in an intimate relationship. Sex was a primal urge at heart, after all, and Shido was no stranger to the many styles of courtship performed in the animal kingdom. He'd done his best to try to help Kazuki come up with ideas to resolve Juubei's seemingly sudden onset of impotency, but nothing had inspired him enough to want to explore it.

Uncannily, Akabane echoed Kazuki's thoughts. "Perhaps that is the problem. Trying too hard can place additional stress on a partner who's already desperate to perform." He moved closer, the edge of his hat just barely brushing Kazuki's forehead. "Of course, there's nothing wrong with the basics. To each his own, after all. But sometimes…the element of surprise can work wonders."

As if to prove this point, Dr. Jackal suddenly stepped forward and pressed his lips to Kazuki's.

Too stunned at first to react, Kazuki hung limply from his bonds, the inertia of shock trying vehemently to deny that this was happening, that not only was he held at a strong disadvantage by a deadly transporter, but that said deadly transporter was now kissing him as if Kazuki were a long-lost lover he was reuniting with. When reality did set in, it was too late, for Akabane had broken the kiss.

The man watched his prey's wide-eyed stare with satisfaction. "He swore an oath to you, did he not?"

Kazuki licked his lips and then wished he hadn't – he tasted the doctor. Not a bad taste; Akabane's mouth had been hot and scented with some kind of exotic spice. But he didn't care to spend the rest of his night with that reminder strong on his tongue.

Dr. Jackal regarded him thoughtfully. "To serve and protect. That is the Kakei family bond, is it not?"

"What are you getting at?"

"You don't test this thread as often as you ought to, Fuuchouin-san. Doing so might offer the both of you some interesting insights."

Akabane held out his hand. "Observe." A blue-tinted spire suddenly shot up from the center of his palm. "See? The scalpel does my will because that is its purpose."

Kazuki felt a small sting on the side of his cheek and blinked. He felt something wet trickle down his skin, and realized with a jolt of anger that the bastard had cut him. Before he could vent his outrage, the doctor was even now leaning forward to lick away the offensive substance.

His tongue curled around Kazuki's ear, making the other man tremble. The touch was slick, tickling…and strangely erotic.

"Kakei-san is your blade, threadmaster. He desires to be used by you, whether or not you choose to accept this," the transporter murmured as he drew away, his breath still warming Kazuki's face. It was an anesthetic that had the curious effect of immobilizing Kazuki, who waited with stopped breath to see what the man would do next. He didn't want to admit it…but something in Akabane's words was hitting closer to home than he would have liked.

"You needn't go to any extreme lengths, if that is not your preference," Akabane continued smoothly. "Just give him what he wants, and ultimately, you will find what you desire as well."

Kazuki started to ask him what he meant by that, and his mouth froze in the act of forming words when the doctor reached out and began to undo Kazuki's pants.

"Haven't you ever wondered why people find certain avenues of entertainment exciting, Fuuchouin-san?" Akabane said as those treacherous gloved fingers snuck along the zipper. "Movies, sports, employment, recreations…it's all the same element, really. I was fortunate enough to be one of the lucky ones who discovered their true calling through it."

He stepped back and studied Kazuki, as if admiring his handiwork. "You have a choice, threadmaster. We can stop here and I will permit you your freedom. Or, we can continue, and you may learn the answer to your question about Kakei-san's dilemma."

Kazuki squirmed, trying to fend off the confusing feelings swirling in his head – and in his body. The man's touch had been cool, efficient, but somehow they'd transmitted an enticing lure to Kazuki's less-than-honorable instincts. _Danger,_ his conscious was warning him, and his subconscious seemed to agree…but for that tiny voice in the back of his head whispering that just _maybe_ Akabane had something of importance that could be valuable in the long run.

Kazuki always had been cursed with an insatiable curiosity.

"Do think it over," the transporter encouraged. "I promise I won't take any offense if you decide to refuse my offer. Not many are open to challenging conventionally-established means of therapy."

Kazuki's throat worked, his mouth trying to dredge up enough saliva to speak. "You swear you won't harm me?"

Akabane chuckled, a decidedly sinister tone underlying his amusement. "Well, now, that's the risk you take in accepting my offer, isn't it? Remember, I like to play with formidable opportunities."

He supposed he should be flattered by the implication that Dr. Jackal considered him worthy of a good fight, Kazuki thought wryly, but it still wasn't what he wanted to hear given his current predicament. He shuddered again as terrible fantasies of what the man likely thought of as 'fun' spun through his imagination.

"Are you experiencing any discomfort? I hadn't thought I'd tied you too tightly…" Akabane approached again and gently rubbed the length of Kazuki's arms, testing the strength of the threads wrapped around his wrists. "You don't feel any pain or numbness here, do you?"

"No." _Not yet…_

"I could adjust these, if you like. It's no trouble," the smiling man assured him.

"I could do with some more circulation," Kazuki agreed. "How about letting me go entirely?"

Akabane's smile lessened. "I think not, I'm afraid. I would hate for our session to end prematurely because you decided to skip out on me. While I certainly understand your hesitation, I dislike impertinence."

"Well, that's the risk you take in dealing with _me,_" Kazuki replied, and waited to see if his trick would work. He'd learned over time that Dr. Jackal was possessed of a peculiar mentality that, if manipulated properly, could be twisted to present the best possible benefit to engaging with the man.

His hunch paid off. Akabane, after thinking this over, lifted his eyes and fixed Kazuki with a cool gaze. "Promise you won't try to run away?"

Kazuki held the stare. "I promise."

Dr. Jackal tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he debated his prey's truthfulness. At last he lifted a scalpel-laden hand.

Kazuki had to slam the brakes on his self-preservation's impulse when he felt the strings release. He checked himself in time to avoid garnering a disciplinary reminder in the back and stood rooted to the spot, watching while Akabane knelt to cut the threads binding his feet. The man rose and looked at him.

"Very good," Akabane said with a returning smile. "Shall we continue?"

He expected the man to go for his groin again, but Kazuki was surprised when Akabane raised his hand (now scalpel-less, thankfully) and cupped his cheek instead. Those sly lips descended on his once more, and this time Kazuki was immersed in a world of sensation as he tried to examine the tantalizing information he was presented with. He wondered where Akabane had learned to kiss so well. The man's lips were gentle, teasing yet firm, as he guided Kazuki into a lover's embrace and clasped him body to body.

Logic argued that he ought not to willingly get this close to death. But an eerie excitement stirring in Kazuki's loins tittered with something close to fanatical glee at the thought that the Prince of Battle Terror's limits were being dangerously stretched, and by none other than the infamous Doctor Jackal. He felt the flickers of something resembling understanding tempt the back of his mind, but before Kazuki could coax it out under closer scrutiny another sensation registered: Akabane's hands were sliding along his ribcage, beneath his shirt and bracketing his waist.

The prickles of glove-sheathed fingernails lightly scraping along his skin reminded Kazuki of the lethal surprises lurking beneath Jackal's flesh. Unease wormed its way into his heart once more and again he questioned his sanity in doing this. But the point – ha ha – was probably moot by now. Akabane was already grasping him and bringing their bodies in even closer together, close enough that Kazuki could feel the prominent hipbones of the other pressing into his own. He was mildly surprised – _disappointed?_ mocked the voice in his head – that the other man wasn't hard.

Akabane raised his head and chuckled. "A good physician must have the ability to distance oneself from the administration of treatment. That is the mark of a professional. No?"

He tilted his head at Kazuki, a strange playfulness lurking in the light of his eyes and the quirk of his smile. "Besides, while I admit that you are physically attractive, threadmaster, we are both involved with others. It would hardly be fair to either Kakei-san or Midou-kun if we were to embark upon an illicit affair, hmm? At least, not without inviting them to join…" He gave another tiny chuckle at seeing Kazuki's wrinkled nose. "I was only joking, Kazuki-san – may I call you Kazuki-san?" Akabane sighed, disappointment softening his face into a wistful pout. "Why is it that whenever I try to make light of something, everyone believes me, but when I'm honest, no one takes me seriously?"

Kazuki briefly debated the wisdom of saying what immediately came to mind but decided against it. Odds were that Akabane had already heard similar things, and he wasn't likely to care in the first place.

The doctor's bout of self-pity didn't last long. He swiftly recovered his composure and smiled. "Will you do me a favor?"

"What?"

Akabane didn't answer right away. Instead, he raised one hand to his head, and much to Kazuki's surprise, the big black hat came down. Waves of jet-dark hair tumbled out from beneath it, framing the man's pale face in a startling picture of aristocratic perfection. Such a sight was rare indeed, Kazuki knew – he, and others, could probably count on one hand the number of times they'd seen the illustrious transporter without that hallmark.

He was further surprised when Akabane offered him the hat. "Keep this in your hands for me, please?"

Kazuki slowly accepted it, turning the large brim over in his hands. It was a good, solid hat, yet light and flexible enough to be adaptable to all kinds of conditions. He wondered where Akabane had gotten such an unusual thing. "What do you want me to do with it?"

"Just hold it for a little bit, if you wouldn't mind. It will serve as a useful distraction." And with no further preamble, Akabane suddenly dropped to his knees, tugged Kazuki's pants down to his thighs and began to nibble a trail down his lower abdomen.

Too shocked to react at first Kazuki yelped as the chill of the air wafted across his bare buttocks. By the time he realized what Akabane was doing he was stuck; the man had captured his hips with those gloved hands, and even if Akabane wasn't holding on to him Kazuki would have found it impossible to make a fast getaway, what with his pants drooping towards his ankles. He had to watch in helpless fascination as that dark head drifted lower, and lower…

He had to hand it to Akabane. The man was too clever to go straight for the prize. He continued to move his mouth – warm and damp and tempting – in slow patterns over Kazuki's goose-pebbling skin. The hat blocked some of his view, so he shifted it to one hand and let his other fall by his side. Akabane seemed to be genuinely enjoying this. His eyes were closed and his lips were curved into a small smile, as he licked, bit, kissed and sucked a path all around Kazuki's lower body.

Kazuki became aware of his own breathing, how the unearthly stillness of the night suddenly seemed too noisy with the sounds of his appreciative grunts and the wet music of Akabane's mouth. His penis, which had been half-erect to begin with, had stiffened considerably as it made clear its demand.

Akabane drew back for air. He noticed, and his smile widened. "My, my, Kazuki-san! Most impressive," he purred, and leaned forward to take it inside his mouth.

"Nuugh," was all Kazuki could think to say to him. His breath caught on a gasp when one of Akabane's hands moved around front to grasp the base of his sex, thumb rubbing the underside of the shaft while the other fingers massaged the testicles. As he watched the man's head bob lightly in his suckling, the muscles of his slender throat undulating like the ripples of water in a pond, Kazuki felt a spike of fear nudge his breastbone a little harder than before. Those long fingers, with their cat-quick dexterity at handling sharp pointed objects, should _not_ be anywhere near his balls if he ever hoped to produce another Fuuchouin heir.

Siring progeny was the least of his concerns, however. Kazuki shuddered, giving in to the pleasure, dimly recognized the groans echoing in the building as his own, as he thrust his hips forward, still clutching the hat in his fist. Akabane took it in stride, his face pressing in closer as he kept pace with the other's rhythm, beginning a hum in the back of his throat that elicited more garbled noises from Kazuki. He felt something silky-soft tickling him, and he realized it was the brush of Akabane's long hair as the strands swung across his skin.

He reached down, unable to help himself. But barely had his fingers begun to card through that untamable ebony mane when Akabane suddenly released him, pulling back with a polite frown.

"Ah, ah, ah. I said _both_ hands, Kazuki-san."

"But – "

A scalpel poked through Akabane's index and middle fingers. He smiled coolly and began to run the flat, smooth side of it back and forth over the head of Kazuki's erection. "If you don't comply with my request, I will be forced to give your compatriots at Wan-san's café valid reason for mistaking your gender. Is that clear?"

A thin whine of acknowledgement struggled out of Kazuki's throat, and he slowly grasped the hat in both hands as he'd been told. His heart, after having realized that his genitals were not in any immediate danger of being subjected to impromptu surgical modifications, resumed its shaky beating.

Akabane smiled. "Very good." He put his knife away and leaned forward again with lips parted.

Kazuki shut his eyes as he tried to focus on two things at once – the wickedly wonderful mouth descending on his hardened flesh, and the hat whose welfare he'd been commanded to safeguard. His knuckles ached from gripping the thing so tightly, but he didn't dare relax his hold. Didn't dare drop it, didn't dare lose himself in the arousing maelstrom Akabane was conjuring with that serpentine tongue of his –

_Serpents, yes, think of that guy, Ban Midou, thank God he's not here to see this or he'd never let me hear the end of it – oooh yes, doctor, right there on the end, just like that - !_

Kazuki uttered a startled yelp when he felt something wriggle between his buttocks and begin sliding up and down along the furrow. He glared down at Akabane, who was still orally engaged, and purple mischief twinkled up at him. Kazuki started to growl – a warning, a protest, he wasn't certain which - when those fingers pressed a spot just beneath his balls, and stars exploded behind his eyes.

A muted crunching brought him back momentarily to earth and he realized he was mangling Akabane's hat, squeezing the brim into a wrinkled accordion of itself. The doctor seemed not to care, or else he was too busy to notice, and Kazuki felt a thinner object, smooth and cool, slide carefully along the furrow again.

_Oh my God – is that – can't be – what is he –_

At the same time Kazuki's heart was about to burst from his chest Akabane's tongue was swirling around his shaft and enveloping the head. Kazuki felt the tender nudge of teeth dragging against the flesh, and he moaned in spite of himself. The sensation of having the blunt part of the scalpel rub between his cheeks, the uncertainty of allowing such a ruthless man to toy with his most sensitive parts using skill that could turn brutal at any second – the teetering balance was driving Kazuki crazy. His nerves quivered on the edge of rebellion; he couldn't decide whether to tear himself away from that glimpse down the pit or hurl himself over the cliff into the jaws of passion.

His body decided for him. Akabane's tongue flicked over the tip of Kazuki's erection and that was it, he was done. Kazuki opened his mouth to scream and suddenly jammed the brim of the hat in between his teeth, clamping down and feeling the vibration of his yell all the way through the hat, his cramped fingers and right down into every fiber of his body.

When the waves had finished rolling him under Kazuki unhooked his teeth and dazedly looked up. His knees wobbled slightly and his bones felt like they'd turned to mush from the orgasm's force. He looked at the hat in his hands and frowned. Hopefully Akabane wouldn't mind that his favorite adornment now bore a distinct set of tooth imprints, in addition to the large slit in the front.

Akabane was pulling out a silk handkerchief from the breast pocket of his coat and gently dabbing around his lips with it. He smiled up at Kazuki as he folded it back up and put it away. "You eat a lot of fruit, don't you, Kazuki-san? That's good, you know. It's very healthy for you. May I suggest, though, that you try cranberry juice instead of coffee for a while? Too much caffeine could cause you later trouble."

Not knowing what to say to that, Kazuki expelled a trembling snort of laughter. Only Doctor Jackal could kill in cold blood one moment and offer diet tips in the sweetest manner the next. "I'll keep that in mind," he mumbled as he pulled up his pants and fumbled with the zipper and belt.

Akabane rose as well, dusting off the legs of his trousers. He took his hat from Kazuki and set it upon his head once more, adjusting the tilt so that the slit framed his left eye. With the stress wrought by Kazuki, it looked ridiculous on him now, since the front end was bent straight up. Evidently Akabane wasn't worried about it, for he made no move to chastise or otherwise discipline Kazuki for his actions. Still smiling, he slipped his hands into his pockets. "I quite enjoyed that, Kazuki-san. I hope you found the answer you were looking for?"

"I did," Kazuki said, not sure if he ought to be worried or thrilled that his inner manipulator had been given an outlet at last. He'd always suspected there was more to Juubei's stalwart declarations of servitude.

Then he remembered Akabane's earlier words. The limits were his to decide; he didn't _have_ to cross certain ones, and he didn't want to either. But what if that was what his partner wanted? Kazuki frowned. No, that wasn't it. Juubei wasn't masochistic, didn't have a thirst for pain…just domination. Someone to serve, to be the blade willing for the hand that would wield him well. He just hadn't had any idea that Juubei felt the idea applied to all aspects of life, not just the protector-liege dynamic that had come as naturally to the both of them as breathing.

"I think I know how to handle my problem now," Kazuki told the smiling Akabane. Then, as an afterthought, and because he _had_ gotten something more important than the loss of his pride from this encounter, he said, "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Jackal responded. "Please do let me know if you ever have need of my services again in the future."

He turned and began to walk away. Kazuki finished adjusting his clothes. He tightened the bells on his braid, fingers lingering over their brass curves, and he couldn't help but indulge a smile of his own. He thought for a minute, and called out to Jackal. "Hey. I heard that Midou likes food in bed. Just thought you'd like to know that."

Akabane turned around. His expression didn't change, other than a deepening of his ever-present smile. He tipped his hat to Kazuki in farewell, and vanished like mist into the shadows.

--


End file.
